Bishop Lanette
Plambeck
Resident Bishop for the Dakotas-Minnesota Area
(612) 230-6152
Janet
Beard
Interim Episcopal Administrative Assistant, Registrar
(612) 230-6156
Administrative support, travel details, calendar coordination and hospitality arrangements on behalf of the Dakotas-Minnesota Area interim bishops and cabinets; registrar assistance to Board of Ordained Ministry.
Linda
Bowers
Front Desk Administrator, Camping Assistant
(612) 230-6126
Receptionist, phones, mail, and reservation of meeting rooms for the Minnesota Conference, and administrative support to DK-MN Area Camp and Retreats
Walker
Brault
Conference Secretary, Administrative Assistant to Twin Cities District and the Finance Department
(612) 230-6146
Responsible for the ‘Journal’, minutes and assistance during Annual Conference Session, and updates to the Policy and Procedure Manual. Appointments and events for Twin Cities superintendent and cabinet, general assistance to churches and pastors. Also provides general assistance to the finance department.
Barb
Brower
Director of Finance and Administration, Treasurer
(612) 230-6135
Oversight of conference finance and administrative ministries including budget, audit, accounting, apportionments, statistics, clergy benefit plans, personnel management, investments, legal, property, and insurance
Cheryl
Daschner
North Star District Administrative Assistant and Southern Prairie District Administrative Assistant
(612) 230-6122
Appointments and events for superintendent and cabinet, general assistance to churches and pastors
Stacey
Edwards
DK-MN Area Camp and Retreat Coordinator
(612) 230-6131
Dakotas-Minnesota Area Camp and Retreat Ministries coordinator
Beata
Ferris
DK-MN Area Camp and Retreat Marketing and Outreach Project Coordinator
Supports the Camp and Retreat Ministries through the planning, coordination, and implementation of marketing and outreach projects and programs.
Lisa
Friesen
Accounting Associate
(612) 230-6141
Accounting for Minnesota Annual Conference cash and credit card receipts and related activities. Accounting for MCBP, Inc Pension & Benefits.
Cindy
Gregorson
Director of Connectional Ministries and Clergy Assistant to the Bishop
(612) 230-6143
Programmatic ministry oversight, local church organization leadership training, clergy consultation
Julie
Hammel
Accounting Associate
(612) 230-6140
Accounts payable and expense reports.
Michelle
Hargrave
River Valley District Superintendent
(612) 230-6153
Superintending the work of the River Valley District
Heidi
Heller
Archivist/Record Manager and Database Coordinator
(612) 230-6149
Minnesota United Methodist history; research on churches, clergy, and events; records retention consultation; liasion with Commission on Archives and History and the United Methodist Historical Society of Minnesota. Makes updates to Brick River database and assists with the People Portal and Church Dashboard. Answers table questions.
Karla
Hovde
Communications Specialist
(612) 230-6139
Designs materials, updates website, prepares the weekly MN Bulletin Board e-newsletter, disseminates information via social media channels, responds to general communications inquiries
Mary
Hovden
DK-MN Area Camp and Retreat Accountant
(612) 230-6133
Accounts payable for conference, accounting for Dakotas-Minnesota Area Camp and Retreat Ministries
Andrea
Hult
Administrative Assistant of the Dakotas and Minnesota Methodist Foundations
Laurie
Huston
Lead District Administrative Assistant, River Valley District Administrative Assistant
(612) 230-6153
Church conference forms, appointments and events for superintendent and cabinet, general assistance to churches and pastors
Ben
Ingebretson
DK-MN Area Director of New Church Development
(616) 481-7566
Strategically identifies areas and audiences ripe for new churches, including multi-site ministries and cultivating partner/parent churches that can reach into those areas; provides direction, resources, training, and appropriate intervention for effective stewardship of people and resources
Dan
Johnson
Twin Cities District Superintendent
Superintending the work of the Twin Cities District
Gail
Johnson
Congregational Development & Events Administrator and Office Coordinator
(612) 230-6125
Coordinates events for the conference, promotes healthy churches and church plants
Laurie
Kantonen
North Star District Superintendent
Superintending the work in the North Star District
Kathleen
Keller
Assistant Director of Finance and Controller
(612) 230-6127
Conference financial statements; new general ledger accounts, reports, funds, etc.; bank relations; wire transfers; conference insurance and group workers’ compensation insurance; charitable remainder trusts issues; annual audit issues; and conference tax filings.
Catie
Levenick
Youth Ministry Team Co-chair
Youth ministries co-chair along with Sami Tierney.
Sheri
Meister
President/CEO of the Dakotas and Minnesota Methodist Foundations
(612) 230-3338
Invests money for churches and works with them on legacy giving and permanent endowments, provides planned giving seminars, coaches clergy, consults with finance committees, provides stewardship materials and training, and assists with capital campaigns.
Christa
Meland
Director of Communications
(612) 230-6132
Oversees conference communications and communication strategies; disseminates information and feature stories; provides consultation and resources to clergy and lay leaders; edits the weekly MN Connect e-newsletter; serves as media spokesperson
Laura
Miles
Technology Coordinator
(612) 230-6123
Supports the staff of the Minnesota Conference in their technology needs. Handles technology for video conferencing, phone systems, digital records and conference cloud accounts. Manages the on-going computer security training of staff and security support of the conference computer network.
Linda
Miller
Benefits Assistant
(612) 230-6142
Benefits area administrative support
Kelsey
Morgan
Program Assistant of the Dakotas and Minnesota Methodist Foundations
Jim
Nienaber
Benefits Officer, Executive Director of MCBPI
(612) 230-6137
Pension benefits, medical benefits, HealthFlex Exchange, pastor compensation forms
Susan
Nienaber
Director of Congregational Vitality
Works with congregations and pastors on congregational health and vitality. Helps address personnel or conflict issues. Contact Susan about Rule of Christ, Safe Gatherings, Boundaries and Ethics training, Congregational Response Team, Conversations at the Crossroads, SPRC Trainings, Choosing the Faithful Path, Ending Well, On-Boarding, and Interim Pastor Training.
Diane
Owen
DK-MN Area Director of Clergy Well-Being
(612) 230-6129
Leads the implementation of programming related to a $1 million Lilly grant used for financial literacy and debt-reduction for pastors
Martha
Rockenstein
Connectional Ministries Program Assistant
(612) 230-6147
Provides program and administrative support for the areas of leadership development, congregational vitality, and clergy well-being
Lisa
Schultze
Director of Finance and Accounting of the Dakotas and Minnesota Methodist Foundations
(612) 230-3339
Prexa
Shah
Accounting Assistant
(612) 230-6154
Accounts payable and expense reports
Keith
Shew
DK-MN Area Director of Camp & Retreat Ministries
(612) 230-6130
Oversight of conference camp, retreat, and off-site ministries, including financial, fund development, site operations, programs, camp council development, camping ministry personnel, and capital improvements for the Dakotas and Minnesota Conferences
Cullen
Tanner
Technology and Ministry Specialist
(612) 230-6138
Resources clergy and churches in the area of digital ministry
Sabrina
Tapia
Director of Racial Justice and Equity
(612) 230-6148
Works on system-level accountability, belonging, inclusion, diversity, and equity initiatives
Jody
Thone
Director of Leadership Development
(612) 230-6134
Creates and delivers a comprehensive system of leadership development from recruitment to deployment
Sami
Tierney
Youth Ministry Team Co-chair
Youth ministries co-chair along with Catie Levenick.
Fred
Vanderwerf
Southern Prairie District Superintendent
Superintending the work in the Southern Prairie District
Diane
Weller
Director of Foundation Relations of the Dakotas and Minnesota Methodist Foundations
(612) 230-3337
Assisting with the Minnesota United Methodist Foundation. Contact for info on stock gifts/transfers.
Cynthia
Williams
Twin Cities District Superintendent
(612) 230-6146
Superintending the work of the Twin Cities District
Lyndy
Zabel
Global Connections and Missional Initiatives Coordinator
(952) 465-2140
Oversees outreach ministries of compassion and justice and partnerships for the conference
